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The fine structure of the IsoVector Giant Dipole Resonance (IVGDR) in the doubly-magic nuclei $^{40,48}$Ca observed in inelastic proton scattering experiments under $0^\circ$ is used to investigate the role of different mechanisms contributing to the IVGDR decay width. Characteristic energy scales are extracted from the fine structure by means of wavelet analysis. The experimental scales are compared to different theoretical approaches allowing for the inclusion of complex configurations beyond the mean-field level. Calculations are performed in the framework of RPA and beyond-RPA in a relativistic approach based on an effective meson-exchange interaction, with the UCOM effective interaction and, for the first time, with realistic two- plus three-nucleon interactions from chiral effective field theory employing the in-medium similarity renormalization group. All models highlight the role of Landau fragmentation for the damping of the IVGDR, while the differences in the coupling strength between one particle-one hole (1p-1h) and two particle-two hole (2p-2h) correlated (relativistic) and non-correlated (non-relativistic) configurations lead to very different pictures of the importance of the spreading width resulting in wavelet scales being a sensitive measure of their interplay. The relativistic approach with particle-vibration coupling, in particular, shows impressive agreement with the number and absolute values of the scales extracted from the experimental data., 10 pages, 4 figures

Proton inelastic scattering experiments at energy E_p = 200 MeV and a spectrometer scattering angle of 0 degree were performed on 144,146,148,150Nd and 152Sm exciting the IsoVector Giant Dipole Resonance (IVGDR). Comparison with results from photo-absorption experiments reveals a shift of resonance maxima towards higher energies for vibrational and transitional nuclei. The extracted photo-absorption cross sections in the most deformed nuclei, 150Nd and 152Sm, exhibit a pronounced asymmetry rather than a distinct double-hump structure expected as a signature of K-splitting. This behaviour can be related to the proximity of these nuclei to the critical point of the phase shape transition from vibrators to rotors with a soft quadrupole deformation potential. Self-consistent random-phase approximation (RPA) calculations using the SLy6 Skyrme force provide a relevant description of the IVGDR shapes deduced from the present data, Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures

The setup and experimental techniques for measurements of zero-degree inelastic scattering and reactions involving light ions with the K=600 magnetic spectrometer at iThemba LABS are described. Measurements were performed for inelastic proton scattering at an incident energy of 200 MeV for targets ranging from 27Al to 208Pb. An energy-resolution of 45 keV (FWHM) was achieved by utilizing the faint-beam dispersion-matching technique. A background subtraction procedure was applied and allowed for the extraction of excitation energy spectra with low background. Measurements of the (p,t) reaction at zero degrees for Ep=100 and 200 MeV benefited from the difference in magnetic rigidity between the reaction products and the beam particles, resulting in background-free spectra with an excitation energy-resolution of 32 and 48 keV (FWHM), respectively, and a scattering angle resolution of 0.55° (FWHM). The addition of Double Sided Silicon Strip Detectors (DSSSD) at backward scattering angles allowed for coincident measurements of particle-decay of states excited in the (p,t) reaction at E p = 200 MeV .

The structure of the nucleus C 12 is discussed, in particular the spectrum of states above the α-decay threshold. A search for the 2+ excitation of the Hoyle-state is reported. The structural link between halo-like states and molecular states is explored in the case of Be 11 .

Spectra of inclusive double differential cross sections of 3 He and 6 He fragments produced in the interaction of 12 C with 93 Nb at 400 MeV are measured and analyzed. As was found for the production of intermediate mass fragments in this and similar reactions involving light projectiles, the spectra can to a large extent be satisfactorily reproduced only by considering the contribution of projectile break-up as well as nucleon coalescence.

A cryogenic horizontal single loop target has been designed, built, tested and operated for the G 0 experiment in Hall C at Jefferson Lab. The target cell is 20 cm long, the loop volume is 6.5 l and the target operates with the cryogenic pump fully immersed in the fluid. The target has been designed to operate at 30 Hz rotational pump speed with either liquid hydrogen or liquid deuterium. The high-power heat exchanger is able to remove 1000 W of heat from the liquid hydrogen, while the nominal electron beam with current of 40 μ A and energy of 3 GeV deposits about 320 W of heat into the liquid. The increase in the systematic uncertainty due to the liquid hydrogen target is negligible on the scale of a parity violation experiment. The global normalized yield reduction for 40 μ A beam is about 1.5% and the target density fluctuations contribute less than 238 ppm (parts per million) to the total asymmetry width, typically about 1200 ppm, in a Q 2 bin.

This paper describes methods used in the manufacturing of chemically reactive targets such as calcium (natCa), lithium-6 (6Li) and molybdenum–97 (97Mo) for nuclear physics experiments at the iThemba LABS cyclotron facility (Faure, South Africa). Due to the chemical properties of these materials a suitable and controlled environment was established in order to minimize oxygen contamination of targets. Calcium was prepared by means of vacuum evaporation while lithium was cold rolled to a desired thickness. In the case of molybdenum, the metallic powder was melted under vacuum using an e-gun followed by cold rolling of the metal bead to a desired thickness. In addition, latest developments toward the establishment of a dedicated nuclear physics target laboratory are discussed.